


when you catch the light

by orphan_account



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: (yknow. the eye pokey thing), Blind Character, Cuddling, Drabble, F/F, Fluff, Georgie Rediscovers Fear And Enters Mild Existential Crisis, Hurt/Comfort, The Admiral is the Admiral, mild eye horror, spoilers for tma s4
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2019-10-25
Packaged: 2021-01-03 08:09:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21176183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: “You’re doing the Thing again,” warns Melanie. Georgie huffs out a sigh, crosses her arms though she knows Melanie can’t see it.“Am I?”“Yes. You’re doing the Thing where you’re all doting and kind of stiflingly worried about me like a mother hen because you don’t think I can take care of myself.”“I am not,” protests Georgie, even though she very much is. (She used to date Jon. It’s a common process for her.)---anon prompt for georgie/melanie hurt/comfort. crossposted from my tma tumblr@prentissed





	when you catch the light

“For the last time, I don’t need the coat…”

“Are you sure?” Georgie gives Melanie another quick turnaround, to the latter’s loud groan of indignation. “You might be cold.”

“It’s _London._ It’s always cold.”

“Just wear the jacket then!! It looks good on you!”

“You’re the only one who wants to go out in this weather.”

“Getting out is _good _for you, now, come on…”

“You’re doing theThing again,” warns Melanie. Georgie huffs out a sigh, crosses her arms though she knows Melanie can’t see it.

“Am I?”

“_Yes_. You’re doing the Thing where you’re all doting and kind of stiflingly worried about me like a mother hen because you don’t think I can take care of myself.”

“I am _not,_” protests Georgie, even though she very much is. (She used to date Jon. It’s a common process for her.)

Melanie lets out a fond but very exasperated sigh, blowing hair out her face in a puff of air that, despite them being in the midst of a mild argument, makes Georgie’s lips twitch up into a smile anyway. “All right, seriously, Georgie, what’s this about? You’ve been like this for weeks now. Yes,” she interrupts before Georgie can, “I’ve kept track. It’s like you want to ship me out of the damn country.”

Georgie inhales. “Maybe I do! Maybe it would be good for you.”

“What are you talking about, Georgie? We’re in no state to move.” The Admiral yowls irritably from Melanie’s ankles, clearly annoyed that they’re not lathering him in attention. “I blew all my money on that damned therapist, and she tried to put me in the loony bin.”

“To be fair, the eyes thing is freaky,” mutters Georgie under her breath.

“_Yeah_, but that’s not the point, okay?!” Now a note of frustration is surfacing in Melanie’s tone, all defiance and anger. Like how she used to be back in that dreadful Institute, that she’d had to sacrifice_ so much_ to get away from. “I don’t need coddling! I’m blind, yes, that doesn’t make me a helpless fucking – toddler. What’s going on with you? Why are you treating me like I’m going to break?”

“Because I’m _scared_, Melanie!” The words burst out of Georgie’s mouth, surprising even her. She hadn’t known they’d been _in _her. But well… now, they’re out, aren’t they? They have to talk about that, now. Crap. Melanie looks stunned too, so at least they’re on equal ground.

“It’s – it’s not an emotion I’m used to, okay?” Georgie huffs. Her stomach feels all knotted up, tangled helplessly like wire. “Never used to be afraid. I mean, I _was_ afraid for Jon, but someone’s gotta be, with his sleep schedule…”

Melanie walks over to her. Hugs her around the waist, and Georgie’s mumbling tapers off.

“We’re out of that place, Georgie,” she says, sighing into Georgie’s ear. “I’m free now. _We’re_ free. You don’t need to worry about that anymore.”

Georgie laughs wryly, the knot in her chest growing tighter. “Yeah. I really don’t, do I?” Sighing shakily, she leans back into Melanie’s frame. Melanie’s small, but sturdy, hides iron strength beneath the skin. “Y'know… you’re the bravest person I know.”

“You literally can’t feel fear, Georgie.”

“I don’t count. I mean… the lack of fear isn’t inherent bravery, isn’t it? That could be just…” Georgie shrugs. “Apathy.” She turns and kisses Melanie on the cheek. “It’s doing something with yourself even when you’re paralyzed with fear. Acting in the face of being scared out of your wits, that’s bravery.”

Melanie shakes her head. “I ran.”

“You left a situation that was going to kill you! You poked out your eyes with a – a _book thingy_!” Melanie lets out a hysterical giggle. Georgie, vision blurring with tears gathering in her eyes, finds herself giggling as well. “I still don’t think I’m afraid for myself. I’m long past that now, aren’t I, being tangled up in all that mess. What I’m afraid of is… losing you, I think.”

“We’re safe.”

“But are we? Really?” She thinks of Jon. Thinks about the thing he’s become, and the things he’s facing off against. She wonders if Jon is dead. “How far away do we have to be to really be safe?”

“I don’t know,” Melanie replies quietly. “I don’t think it would matter how far we ran, if that were the case.”

“I guess so.”

Melanie squeezes her close, wrapping an arm around her. Georgie pushes down a sob and puts her face in Melanie’s shoulder. She’s soft, and warm. “It does no good to worry, Georgie. If it’s done, it’s done, it might be a bygone conclusion and the world could end, who knows? We’ve done all we could. If it’s going to be over, can’t we enjoy the time we have left?”

Breathlessly, Georgie laughs. “I can try. No promises, though. Apparently you were all I needed to get those fear chemicals pumping again.”

“Sorry,” Melanie grins, then her face softens into something more solemn. “But seriously. Don’t treat me like I’m a porcelain doll. Or Jon,” she adds flatly, which Georgie can’t help but snicker at. “I can take care of myself. And I want to be here, you know?”

Georgie sighs. “Yeah, I know. I’ll try.”

They hold each other for a while. The Admiral curls around them, purring jealously.

“…The jacket would still look good…”

“Oh, bite me.”

**Author's Note:**

> this coulda been more angsty but god canons been so hard to these two already i just want them to be on vacation and be happy together at least for a little while
> 
> title from neko case's "wild creatures", crossposted from [@prentissed](https://prentissed.tumblr.com/post/188574430603/for-the-tma-prompts-melanie-and-georgie)


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